Conference moira::parenting_v3

    
    My first (and only) was born one week before his due date.  I 
    broke water the very first "work" day of my STD.
    
    Good luck,
    Carol

    
    Well, I was 4 weeks early with my first, and 12 days late with my
    second!  I thought for sure my second would be early too.  I'm sure 
    your really anxious to have the baby, especially being your first, 
    but take advantage of your time off before the baby arrives, you won't 
    get that much time all to yourself again!!!!
    
    elizabeth
    
    p.s.  I think I "dropped" with my second a couple of weeks before my
    due date
    

I heard something the other day where a study commissioned be one of the 
medical associations was recommending that Doctors no longer give pregnant
women a date that they should expect to deliver, but rather a 2 week
window, because they found that very very few people actually deliver
on the due date.  They reckoned that the tension that being late for
"the due date" causes  incredible amounts of tension which was detrimental
to buth mum and baby.

Being late is very normal.  There are generally more late deliveries than
early deliveries.

Stuart

    I was three days early with my first and 2 1/2 weeks late with my
    second.  So it is hard to tell when the baby will be born.
    
    I agree with the earlier note.  Whatever time you have, don't sit and
    watch the calendar.  Enjoy your days off.  Take naps.  Put any finishing
    touches on the nursery.  If you feel up to it, cook and freeze a few
    of your favorite meals for those days after the baby arrives when you
    want to sit down to a good meal and just don't have the time or energy
    to cook.  Visit friends or relatives (or have them visit you).  Go to 
    the library and get a couple good books.  Rent some movies for your
    VCR or go out to the movies.  Whatever you enjoy, do it now when your
    time is your own.  Pamper yourself.  Babies are great.  And babies are
    fun (once they get a little older).  But they do require lots of time 
    and energy.  So pamper yourself now while you can, and don't worry 
    about being early or late!  
    
    Best of luck to you,
    
    Chris                                                             
    
    

    Also, everything I've read indicates that dilation is not a good
    indicator of when you'll go into labor.  Some women are slow to dilate,
    others are faster.  
    
    My doctors did not even do an internal in my last few weeks of
    pregnancy.  In fact, he did the first internal when I was well into
    labor--I was about 5 cm by that time.
    
    judy

    I believe I've heard/read that the *average* time form the baby
    dropping until dleivery is about 2 weeks, especially with the first. It
    can vary a lot more widely with subsequent children.
    
    I also think I've read that more first children are "late" than
    "early", but it is all very subjective. The due date is considered an
    average of when all women who had their Last mens. period on the day
    you did, would deliver. And an average means half were earlier...and
    half were later! No way to tell. I've known quite a few women told it
    will be "any day now" who went weeks, and also quite a few who were
    told to settle in for a long wait, who had the baby the next day or so!
    
    Best advice has already been given....relax, prepare, and *rest*!
    My wife would tell me that that is much easier said than it is done,
    but
    try anyway! (she can't do that anymore, with three little ones 5 and
    under all at home, while awaiting #4!)
    
    --dave--

         I was two weeks late with my first one and 1 day late with my
    second.  Each pregnancy really is different.  I agree with everyone
    else on enjoying this time off.  But the main thing is to keep yourself
    busy and get out of the house when you can especially when it is past
    your due date.  It will keep you from going crazy from waiting!
    

    Hi Kim,
    
    I was 1 week to the day, late. So my doctor scheduled a Non-stress test
    for friday the 7th of Sept. He had no clue as to when i would go into
    labor. The test showed no complications and the next day I went into
    labor! Never even suspected it, even though I had been a couple
    centimeters dilated and 70 percent effaced for 3 weeks! So anyway, you
    may be one who will dilated very quickly, though I didn't, I started
    labor at 12:30 Sat. afternoon and delivered Sun morning 20 HOURS
    LATER!!!!    
    
    Good Luck, it may happen when you least suspect it......
    
    
    
    sandy

    Hi Kim,

    My first and only child was born after being induced two weeks after my
    due date. When I checked in to the hospital that morning, the doctor
    could see no signs of labor starting. I wasn't dilated at all, hadn't
    broken water, etc. This was still the same at lunch time when he came
    back to check me out. I Had, however started mild contractions at
    11:30. 

    The doctor was called back at 4:15 that afternoon, as the monitor was
    showing signs of fetal stress. My water broke during the internal exam
    and I was 9 cm dilated!! Daniel was born at 5:11 pm. The stress was
    from the cord wrapping around his shoulder.

    I can't express enough that you should enjoy this time you have BEFORE
    the baby arrives!!!  I spent my free time re-arranging the nursery,
    visiting friends/relatives, Packing for the hospital (I didn't need 1/3
    of what they tell you to bring!), stocking up on groceries so I would
    have to shop for a while,etc.
     
    Do stuff you enjoy doing, as you may not have a chance to do them for a
    few months after the baby is born. I don't know if I was "normal" or
    not, but I had an episiodomy(sp?) and didn't feel "human" for about
    three weeks after birth.

    Will you be able to let us know the out come?

    Best wishes!!
    Norma

    No advice here.  Just the best of wishes for you as you anxiously await
    your precious arrival!
    
    Lynn
    (Dreaming of Mommy-hood)  :)
    

    None of the following things means much; I present them mostly as
    evidence that your baby will come when it's ready and no sooner.
    
    The study Stuart mentions in .3 also mentioned that there was a
    tendency for tall women to be late more often than short women.
    
    Ultrasound dates tend to be more accurate than ones calculated by
    traditional methods, though there's no guarantee.
    
    The more irregular your menstrual cycles before you got pregnant,
    the less accurate the projected delivery date tends to be.  
    
    If you know the date of conception, you can add 270 days and see
    what you come up with.  I think it's 270 days.  Anybody else know
    for sure?
    
    --bonnie

    Well, my last day of work will be next friday, March 22nd.  This is 
    my third child.  I had my first by c-section after I was 5 days late,
    because she was breach.  My second was 15 days late and a VBAC.  I was
    induced for him because he just didn't want to come out and see the
    world.  I'm hoping that this one won't be as late as the last, but
    I'm not counting on going early.  
    
    Like everyone said, get plenty of rest.  I won't be able to do much
    of that with the other kids around, but I sure wish I could!!
    
    Best of luck!
    Janice 

    I was exactly one week early.  I had a doctors appt on the Thursday before,
    no activity at all, left work on that Friday.  I relaxed during the weekend
    I did major cleaning on Mon/Tue, Wed relaxed and delivered the next
    day.  Big surprise.  I didn't even have any time to relax.  Actually I
    liked it that way.  I really surprised my doctor.  The week before I
    was teasing him because it seemed like every appt, he kept me waiting
    because of earlier deliveries.   Payback time.                        

I was finally induced two weeks late with each of my 2 daughters.  
I figure that they get in there, realize I feed them chocolate, and
know they won't get any for at least a year on the outside so they
stay longer!

Liz